Forever Each Other
by shinigami kitten tvhg
Summary: It had been two years since the poor 12 year old had been introduced and immersed in the strange and slightly terrifying, at least back then, world that was the Fighter-Sacrifice world. Ritsuka's life is not the same but is it really that bad? Sou/Kio/Rit


A/N: This is completely AU from the beginning. Let's say that the events from short anime did happened. I do not refer to the manga at all because I have only read until volume 2. The only thing I know is that Seimei is alive, and I used that information on the making of this oneshot.

**hello! I took the time to re-read this oneshot and realized that it had many mistakes, so here it is a beta'ed version of the Forever Each Other! Enjoy!!!**

**ps. if you still find any mistakes left, i would love it if you took the time to review me and point them out, i'm always up for improving my works:P:P**

Flames are not welcomed, they will be used to feed my imagination and therefore inspire me to write more of my work. ^_^

Disclaimer: I do not own Loveless but I do own Rei so don't steal him.

Moving on, read and enjoy:

* * *

It had been two years, two years, since the day Soubi Agatsuma had stood at the entrance of the school and had presented himself to Ritsuka Aoyagi as Seimei's (his deceased older brother) friend. It had been two years since the poor 12 year old had been introduced and immersed in the strange and slightly terrifying, at least back then, world that was the Fighter-Sacrifice world.

Since then everything had changed in the life of this boy, he had, for the first time since losing his memories, friends and someone that seemed to care about him.

It took time but he eventually got used to the company, after so long of being alone and only being noticed to be talked about or when his mother was trying to kill him because he stole her Ritsuka. Ritsuka learned everything about the culture and rules about Fighter-Sacrifice and while he didn't enjoy ordering around Soubi, he did so when he needed and he had gotten good at it; especially with the important orders that he really did mean for Soubi to obey.

The only problem Ritsuka had encountered, besides the emotional and psychological shock of finding out all of this, was Kio. Soubi's best friend, Kio had expressed a very strong dislike, almost hate, towards Ritsuka since the very beginning, which confused Ritsuka because he had never met the blond chupa lover before. It was, in fact, when said blonde approached him that he learned that his dislike was more towards the fact that he was Seimei's brother, and because of what he was, a Sacrifice.

It was about 3 months after meeting Soubi, that Ritsuka got a surprise. That day, Soubi had to turn in some work and therefore couldn't pick him up at the end of the day, so it was a surprise for Ritsuka to see the outline of a tall shadow at the school gates at the end of the day. It was even more surprising to realize that it was Kio with his usual chupa hanging from his mouth, waiting for him. After he said his good byes to Yayoi and Yukio, he followed Kio who had invited him to a nearby coffee shop.

_Kio sat down, aiming a short grin to Ritsuka which was very surprising, as it had been made clear by the older boy that he deeply disliked Ritsuka, it was obvious he was trying to be polite. "We need to talk" the teen had said. "About what? Are you going to tell me why you dislike me? Because I really want to know, since I haven't done anything to you" said Ritsuka as he leaned back with his arms crossed, a small scowl in his face; blunt as ever. _

_"Straight to the point" said Kio with a wry smile on his face, "yes I do believe I owe you an apology for that" noticing the surprised look on Ritsuka's face he added, "what? You thought I would hate you forever? No, I do owe you an apology and an explanation for my actions" _

_"I do not hate you Ritsuka, I hate your brother" Kio held up a hand to stall Ritsuka's angry protests, "now, I know you love your brother and I'm not here to change your opinion of him, I am here to tell you what I think of him, and what I know of him from the few times I met him"_

Ritsuka still remembered that conversation, it had been a hard and emotional one, Ritsuka had protested, almost screamed, if not for the fact that they were in public and lastly, he had cried. Learning that his brother had such a side, Soubi had refused to tell him about Seimei, so he had no idea how Seimei had been when he was with others. It was something Ritsuka had been curious about since he had never known any of Seimei's friends, not like he could bring them home with their mother in that condition.

There in that little café, 3 months after meeting Soubi and having learned about his destiny, he finally got what he wanted, he learned more about his brother, but the words that came out of Kio's mouth were definitely ones he hadn't expected. Ritsuka took his time, he at times could be an incredible mature kid, and so he believed Kio or at least he believed that what Kio said was what Kio believe in. It took time, but with subtle question towards Soubi, --Ritsuka had gotten good at getting the information he wanted, he had had the best master after all--; he realized that Kio might have been telling the truth.

It was hard for Ritsuka to accept that this two very different people could be the same person, but then he had read enough and seen enough TV to know that sometimes the worst kind of people were the most loved and kind ones._ 'Beloved'_

It was about 3 weeks after that conversation that Kio showed up again, in a day where Soubi couldn't _"I know Sou-chan's schedule like my own"_ He had said with a grin, and promptly dragged Ritsuka to the same café they had gone the first time.

And soon it had become a routine, they tried to go to the café at least once a week or whenever Soubi couldn't pick Ritsuka at school. It had become their little secret, and at Ritsuka's request Yukio and Yayoi had said nothing. Turns out they were good secret keepers, even Yukio thought you wouldn't ever imagine it.

It was about 3 weeks later when Kio surprised him again. They had been going out of the café, Kio was going to walk him home; they weren't worried about Soubi being there waiting for Ritsuka as he had been ordered not to arrive until called. As they made their way home, they passed the field near the river, where Soubi and Ritsuka had had a couple of battler over time with the other teams that seemed obsessed with bringing Ritsuka to the school to be trained. There, they encountered yet another pair sent to take Ritsuka, now, Ritsuka knew that Kio knew about it, since he had patched up Soubi plenty of times, it seemed Seimei didn't have time for that. But it was a great shock when the pair actually recognized Kio with just one look.

_They were making their way home, when in that field full of some many recent memories, they encountered yet another problem, it seemed, Ritsuka thought, that these people had a strange inclination for fighting in fields. He was about to tell Kio to run, since he didn't plan on calling Soubi and have their secret days exposed. He was not going to let **these** people ruin his life. _

_"We are here to take Loveless with us, ah! Loneliness! What a surprise!" said one of the two teenage boys with a malicious grin, "and protecting HIM nonetheless!" _

_"Heartless…, what a surprise" responded Kio, placing Ritsuka behind him, in a protective gesture, "I was wondering when they would send you. It was about time" then with a smirk he asked, "Now, are we going to fight or what?" _

_Ritsuka was speechless, and Heartless laughed out loud. "Fight? Are you delusional? Do you forget that he is dead?" The second boy asked. _

_Kio just smirked, "Do you forget what I am? Why me name is so famous?" he leaned back and crossed his arms, and he watched confusion, then understanding and finally awe and disbelief take over their faces, "So it is true then? We never believed it, after all you had him back then, and you fell into your role of sacrifice, this will be interesting."_

_And so the battle started, but unlike Soubi he didn't battle alone, Kio trusted Ritsuka and so they battled as a team. Even so Kio shielded Ritsuka from almost all the damage, sustaining quite the damage, but the battle was short and Kio won almost easily. '_I certainly am out of shape; it's been years after all, since I last used my abilities. It still hurts, to be without him'

After that battle, Ritsuka had dragged an injured Kio to his home, after telling him to climb to the balcony; he went home and avoided a fight with his mother. As he got upstairs, he detoured to the bathroom to get the first aid kit, and took the opportunity to call Soubi and tell him that he could not come that night, and he made it an order. Ritsuka was worried and serious enough that Soubi obeyed. After patching up Kio, he was given an explanation and he was asked to keep it a secret as Soubi didn't know.

That night the bond between him and Kio grew, and they became even closer, the trust they had been building was put to test and it was a success, as Ritsuka kept his word, and to Kio this was the final proof that completely dispelled the notion that Ritsuka was anything like his brother.

Ritsuka learned that Kio was on the run from the school too, as he was very special. He was one of the one every 30 years 'switch' that are born. A switch is a very special person that can be both a sacrifice and a fighter, he has both roles abilities, but he also has a partner, once his partner is found, then the switch is left with only being one of the two roles. But as Kio told Ritsuka, his partner, and lover Rei was murdered 6 years ago and so Kio was back to being able to switch roles, not that he did it too often, since he didn't want to be found by the school. He said he was as legendary as Soubi except that no one knew his name only his 'real' name so it made it extremely hard to be found. In fact Heartless only recognized him because they had met before. Ritsuka took this secret and kept it, he told no one, and while he wanted to know more about Kei, it was obvious that Kio didn't want to talk about it, and so he didn't ask, but Kio did tell him that someday he would tell him, probably when he decided to tell Soubi.

_'That way I won't have to tell the whole story twice; saves me wasting more air'_ he had said. Ritsuka thought that it was to save going through the heart ache twice.

After that, the incident was never mentioned and Ritsuka and Kio settled in a routine, once a week if it was possible, always on a day Soubi couldn't go to pick up Ritsuka, they would go to the café that now held many memories and then they would take a walk, and Ritsuka would take pictures and make many memories, then they would go to Ritsuka's house, and sometimes Kio would stay if he heard the screams, and he would be waiting, just like Soubi, but _so different_ at the same time, to patch him up and talk to him like nothing had ever happened, and that was fine with Ritsuka because he liked to pretend that nothing ever happened, not like when he had to fight Soubi off and tell him that his mother couldn't be harmed _again and again._ Like a non ending circle, _would it ever end?_ And Ritsuka didn't want to know, if it would ever end with him leaving that place with Soubi, or if it would be with him in the bathroom floor bleeding to death or by the rat poison he couldn't detect in his dinner.

And so it went, and Ritsuka was starting to get used to the routine, Soubi, Kio and on the weekends in their apartment near the college, sometimes watching a movie, sometimes watching them work and it was so entrancing, that he never noticed that it was dark until Soubi was there, offering to walk him home. But on a day his weekly -kind of regular but not really since it was almost never the same day- meetings with Kio changed, it wasn't a revealing conversation like the first time, or a fight like the second time, this times it was an almost pleasant surprised.

Kio had, thanks to college, to change his date with the therapist to a Wednesday; it just so happened that it was just after Ritsuka's usual appointment. And so after a startling moment and a confused Therapist, Ritsuka decided to stick around and wait for Kio, and that's how their routine finally found its place. Soubi already knew that Ritsuka was always busy on Wednesday afternoons and he always was waiting at Ritsuka's house for him. With a quick call and a stern order, one of the ones that Soubi had to obey, Soubi was banned from going to Ritsuka's house on Wednesday nights. And so, Wednesday became a Kio and Ritsuka day.

The next life changing but not much thing that happened to Ritsuka happened almost 6 months later and it was almost a year since these amazing people had entered Ritsuka's life and filled it with happiness and memories. It was a Saturday and Ritsuka had cancelled the usual afternoon with Kio and Soubi to go to with Yayoi to Yukio's place. But her parents decided to take her out, and so at last minute she had called to cancel. Yayoi hung out for a while but then he was also called by his parents, and so Ritsuka decided to head to Kio's and Soubi's place, unannounced, he wanted to surprise them.

As he got there, he didn't knock since he had a copy of the key; he quietly entered and followed the loud _"Sou-chaannnnnnnnnn"_ to the living room where Soubi was painting. Ritsuka stood near the wall in the hallway so that Soubi's back towards him, but he could still be invisible if Soubi turned. Kio was standing behind and to the left of Soubi, towards the entrance, but he also didn't see or hear Ritsuka approach them. That gave the boy the opportunity to see them interact, he knew Kio flirted a lot with Soubi, and he also knew that he was serious, even if Kio had told him that he would never break them up. Ritsuka knew that he would keep his word, but he also knew that Kio had real feelings towards Soubi.

The scene that played itself in front of him, changed his perspective, and made him think about a lot of things.

_"Sou-chan would you ever paint me?, You know I was asked again to be a model for the sculpture class, apparently I was very popular and inspiring to the students that took the class last semester" said a very pleased looking Kio. "and if I remember correctly you said, that maybe sometime you would do it, so really are you going to ever do it?" whine Kio. Ritsuka would have bet his digital camera that the chupa lover was pouting. It was what happened next that made Ritsuka see things in a new light. _

_Soubi stopped painting; he put his brush in a glass of water and turned. The look he gave Kio as he looked him up and down. "I will do it, someday I promise Kio" he said, "I can see why you were popular with the students" with a last smoldering look that prompted a shiver from Kio, Soubi turned around a proceeded to continue with his work. _

_Ritsuka decided to head back to the front door, he opened it and closed with a slam. He was pleased to see Kio sticking his head from the living room into the hallway. _

_"Suka-chan!!" then rest of the evening was pleasant, and Ritsuka didn't comment on the slight tension between Kio and Soubi. _

Ritsuka remembered clearly how he had told Soubi not to see him until Thursday. He spent Sunday, Monday and Tuesday thinking about the situation. He loved Soubi, he had admitted months ago, and his relationship with Soubi was very stable. But the look he had given Kio, Ritsuka knew lust when he saw it, after all Soubi always looked at him like that when they kissed. He also knew that he was not ready to lose his ears. But it wasn't only that, it wasn't only lust, there had been a fondness, _affection_, mixed in there. If it had been when they had first met, Ritsuka would've been sure that Soubi didn't love him; that it was only Seimei's orders, and while that had been true in the beginning, Ritsuka was well aware that it had change. The love Soubi had for him **was** genuine. It took Ritsuka two days and the entire session with his therapist to come to the conclusion that just like love knew no boundaries about gender, it could also know no boundaries about you loving more than one person. So as he waited for Kio to finish his session, Ritsuka made up his mind, and prepared himself for a very emotionally charged talk with Kio at their café.

_As they sat in the café, Ritsuka was quite up until they ordered their drinks, then he looked up with a determined light in his eyes. "Kio, I want to talk to you about something" he said, "but you have to promise me that you won't interrupt me, at all, until I say I'm finished. Ok?" he asked. Kio looked at him with a worried expression, but he only said "Ok"._

_"I know you love Soubi" blunt like always, and he took a slight delight in the shocked expression in Kio's face along with the blush that bloomed in his cheeks. "I've always known that your flirting was serious, and you said it yourself that your perusal of Soubi was serious." He paused, "I also know that you said that you wouldn't interfere. That's what I want to talk to you about"_

_Kio looked ready to protest but Ritsuka cut him off with a look, "I'm not doubting you, I know that you won't interfere in our relationship. But, I was there this Saturday Kio" Kio's eye widened and he opened his mouth, but was again cut off, "I'm not talking about what you said or did, I'm talking about Soubi" now that made Kio shut up. "The way he looked at you, and No it was not only Lust" Kio closed his mouth again, he was clearly surprised by Ritsuka and what he was saying. "I know I'm a kid but I do know what lust is. But it wasn't only that, if it were only lust I wouldn't be here talking to you. He looked at you, and he cared, he was affectionate, and passionate, not lustful" _

_"Ri…" "I know he has feelings for you, I don't know whether he loves you or not, but I think he could come to love you, I think that he hasn't let himself explore that because of Seimei, and now .. Me"_

_Kio was speechless. _

_"Now, I won't give up Soubi, but I can share him" said Ritsuka with a devious smile. _

_"W..what!" stuttered Kio. _

_"I've been thinking, and well if love has no boundaries when it comes to gender, who's to say you can't love two people?" Kio had no answer to that. _

_"I want you to pursue Soubi, more seriously this time, I want Soubi to realize that he has feelings for you" _

_"But.." "I don't want him to know we talked, or that I know of this. I want him to tell me himself, I want him to admit it to himself and me and you, that he loves you" _

_"Ritsuka… are you serious?" asked a quite Kio. _

_"I am, and we can share him, besides right now you can give him what I can't, but make no mistake I'm not talking about this just for the physical part of the relationship, I do want you and Soubi to be together, just like him and me are" he blushed, "well, you get the sex right now, since we obviously don't" _

_Kio laughed._

The rest of the conversation was pleasant, and once Kio was convinced that Ritsuka was quite serious and okay with the whole thing, he promised to make more serious his moves on Soubi.

That had been one year and about 2 months ago. Now Soubi still hadn't confessed, but it was more obvious to anyone that he had feelings for Kio. Ritsuka was the only one that remained 'oblivious' to it all, and would remain to do so until Soubi confessed. But now Ritsuka had a problem too, ever since he had come to the conclusion and believed that you could love more than one person, he himself had come to see Kio in a new light, and within the past year had found himself with a crush on the older man. Kio was of course oblivious since he only had eyes for Soubi, who suddenly looked more _real_, his love for Soubi actually had a chance.

Unlike what Ritsuka thought, Kio was in a dilemma himself, his time with Ritsuka had made him see the kid '_not kid_, he reminded himself, _he's 14 now_' in a new light. And with every little thing he learned about him, and every memory they made, Kio came to believe in Ritsuka's words more and more; that one could love two people with the same passion without preferring one over the other. As Kio came to this conclusion he made a plan, Ritsuka had already told him they would share Soubi, so Kio decided to twist the arrangement a little. Why not share all 3 of them, between themselves, a trinity. Of course for that, he needed to crack Soubi, once Soubi confessed, he would tell Ritsuka and propose his idea.

It had been two years, two years since Ritsuka had meet this people that had changed his life, and so here he was on the apartment, ready to surprised them as he was supposedly caught up in homework and couldn't come. He wanted to take them to the café where he and Kio went weekly, and then to the park where he and Soubi had shared their first kiss. It would be memorable and intimate for all.

As he entered the apartment he followed Kio's whine like always, to the living room to find Soubi quietly reading a book and Kio sprawled in the floor with the usual chupa stick hanging from his mouth.

"Hi!" he said with a smile, both head turned to look at him, "Surprise!" he told them. "I'm sure you know what today is" he continued, "well, we are going to celebrate, so get dressed and let's go"

The two college students just looked at each other, then shrugged and got up, each went to their respective rooms to dress; Kio giving a pat on the head to Ritsuka on his way, and Soubi giving him a short, soft chaste kiss.

Half an hour later they found themselves in the café, Kio spared Ritsuka a meaningful look and a soft bright smile, and Ritsuka knew he had appreciated the gesture. Soubi said he had never come here, and that he liked the café, he asked Ritsuka how he had heard about it. To which Ritsuka with a mischievous smile told him, _'a friend brought me here, a long time ago'_

About an hour and a half later, they stood walking in the park, and as they reached the stone table, Ritsuka took his camera, and promptly started to make more memories.

All in all it had been a beautiful day, which made the three of them closer than any of them realized.

If only the happiness had lasted long.

Two weeks later, their world was coming apart.

The Zero pair Natsuo and Yuijo had showed up that week end which wasn't that odd, since they visited regularly, but the news they brought were shocking and appalling.

Seimei was alive.

As the pair had stood there saying the news, Soubi had been standing in the middle of the living room facing them, as Ritsuka and Kio stood near the couch behind Soubi.

When they heard the news, Soubi stood stock still, but the reaction that caught the pair's attention was happening behind Soubi. Kio's faced had drained of all color, and he had collapsed on his knees shaking, a pale wide-eyed and worried Ritsuka was kneeling next to him supporting him and hugging him. As Soubi snapped out of his shock, he turned around looking for Ritsuka but by then Kio had composed himself and was standing with his arm around Ritsuka's shoulder, to anyone who had not seen his collapse it would be obvious that he was comforting Ritsuka who was the one supposed to be more affected by it, and was yet the most composed. Soubi didn't realize how wrong he was in his thinking as he approached and hugged Ritsuka, _comforting him. _

It was a week later, when a worried Ritsuka approached the apartment, in the 2 years they had been friends, Kio had never once skipped on the weekly café meetings. As he got there, a slightly worried Soubi receive him in the door, now THAT worried him more, since he always found them working or joking in the living room.

"Where is he?" he asked, Soubi only pointed to the living room.

When they got there, Ritsuka was surprised at Kio's condition. He had obviously not slept this week, he had dark rings around his eyes, and he was pale.

He approached Kio and kneeled in front of him, throwing caution to the wind; he grabbed Kio's writs and pulled his hands away from his face, "What's wrong?" he asked, Kio just looked at him, "Ok, I know what's wrong but what you told me doesn't merit this reaction, there is something you haven't told me, so now it's time for you to spill. To both of us" demanded Ritsuka.

"Ritsuka, what are you talking about" asked a confused Soubi.

"I know how Seimei treated you Soubi, and while you are ok with it, nor Kio nor me agree with his behavior" to say Soubi was shocked was an understatement. But before he could say anything Kio spoke.

"I won't tell you the whole story, but I will tell you why I reacted this way"

"Good enough" said Ritsuka.

Then they all settled in the living room, to hear Kio's story.

"I met Seimei 8 years ago" That surprised both of them.

"We went to the same school so to speak, then we met again 6 years ago and it was not pleasant, we were never friends. That day 6 years ago, something happened and well I do not want to talk about it"

He was looking everywhere but to where Soubi was, he raised his eyes and looked at Ritsuka, "Soubi's pain was my entire fault" he drew a breath, "that day when Soubi brought him and introduce him to me, Seimei recognized me, and apparently Soubi had told him that I was the one that patched him up whenever Soubi got hurt during a fight, or whenever Seimei punished Soubi for something." he looked at Soubi with teary eyes, "I'm sorry, the reason you got punished wasn't because you did anything wrong, it was because Seimei knew that you would come here, and he wanted to hurt me" he broke down in sobs. Ritsuka quickly embraced Kio, comforting him as he rocked him to sleep.

Later as Soubi placed Kio to bed, he and Ritsuka talked in the living room. Ritsuka was cuddling with him in the couch. "I didn't know Kio had told you about Seimei Suka-cha" he said using Kio's designated nickname for him, to Ritsuka's dislike it has stuck very quickly to his other friends.

"A week ago, that café, the one I told you a friend had taken me to a long time ago?" explained Ritsuka, "well, it was Kio, and we have been meeting there every Wednesday ever since, it's how we became friends" Soubi hummed, "is that why I can't be with you on that day?"

"Well not only for that, at the beginning it was and well it still is, because I have an appointment with a therapist, but no one knows about it. Kio found out and well we decided that it would be the day to meet in the café"

Ritsuka stood up and stretched, he walked towards the front door, with Soubi right behind him. When he got there, he put on his coat and turned towards Soubi, he stood on his tip toes and gave him a kiss, then he gave him a long searching look and just before he left, he said "Now would be a good time to get over your denial, Soubi"

Everything was calm and okay for the next few days, well as calm as it can be knowing that Seimei is still alive, and the next week at their usual café meeting, Kio and Ritsuka spent the whole hour, moaning about whether or not Soubi would go back to Seimei if asked; after all they were Beloved and as both of them knew, Soubi had been loyal to death to Seimei, and they didn't know if that was still the case, of if Soubi would put his feelings to the front and stay with them.

It had been that Friday that the answer came to them, the three of them went to the movies, and where now in the field, that field of long ago, where most of the things that changed Ritsuka's life happened, that field where these, these _people_ always chose to appear, but no Ritsuka wouldn't stop coming because he wouldn't let _them_ ruin his life.

So they were there, when a harsh laugh was heard, it sent shivers down Ritsuka's and Kio's spine and they turned and saw, and grimly Ritsuka thought '_well, it seems Kio will have to tell Soubi and me the whole story now'_ as they greeted Heatless, again.

"We meet again, what a pleasant surprise! And with Ritsuka again, oh… but what is this? Soubi Agatsuma, **Beloved!**" one of them said.

Soubi looked at Kio and Ritsuka with a raised eyebrow but Kio refused to look at him, concentrating instead in the pair in front of them.

"Heartless… come back for another round of getting your ass kicked?" asked Kio, "You should leave, if you couldn't beat me, then you definitely can't beat Soubi"

"Yeah well, we'll see" said the other one.

Kio stepped up to Soubi and said, "Soubi, I'll be your sacrifice" Soubi was shocked and before he could ask anything Kio interrupted him, "later ok? I know I have a lot to explain but just leave it. Just know that I don't have a fighter, so it'll be ok for me to be your sacrifice"

And with that the battle started, it was short just like last time, but Soubi had been better than Kio and so, Kio hadn't sustained much injuries like last time.

Soubi was supporting Kio with an arm around his waist, Heartless was not seriously injured and as the fighter supported his sacrifice he turned and sneered at Kio, "in the arms of a killer? What would he say about that?" his sacrifice snorted, "don't bother with him, it's obvious he has no shame, I bet he's a whore too" he turned towards Kio, "ne, Loneliness? Do you sleep with them too? That's what they said about you back at the school"

"SHUT UP!" all heads turned towards the 14 year old teen, "You are just a couple of sore-loser bastards, just go away, we're not going to stand here and listen to you talk trash about _MY_ friend"

With that he stepped to Kio's other side, and with a motion to Soubi they turned and headed back to their apartment.

When they got home, everyone was silent; Soubi and Ritsuka quietly placed Kio on the living room couch and patch him up. After they were done, Soubi took place in the loveseat, while Ritsuka sat in the end of the couch and faced Kio. "It's time Kio" he said, "You are going to have to tell us everything"

"Well Ritsuka already knows and I believe Soubi has heard about it so I'm going to give you the short version" he took a deep breath, "I'm a switch, I'm sure you have heard of that" he said directing his eyes towards Soubi. "That's why they called you Loneliness" said Soubi. He got a nod in return, although Soubi was wide eyed, shocked evident in his face.

"Well, I went to the same training school that Seimei did, and well those rumors Heartless said? Well, they were started by Seimei, he couldn't stand the thought of being second to anyone. So he started that, which made me very unpopular in the school, but I was still the center of the attention. Seimei was brilliant but I was a switch so that automatically made me more valuable for the people at the school" he paused.

"Well, but that's not what made me hate Seimei." He took a deep breath, "6 years ago my fighter died"

There was absolute silence before Kio continued, "that night, I was sick, Rei sensed a strong pair coming, so he got me in a cab towards a nearby hotel, before the pair arrived" Kio started sobbing.

"I felt the connection break just as I was arriving, I collapsed screaming in the lobby, I don't remember much about the next few days; they are a blur"

Ritsuka was hugging Kio by now, and Soubi was pale and he had a very scared face, as if he was in denial or dreading something, and he was.

"_Beloved_….Rei was murdered by Beloved"

The silenced was so absolute, broken only by Kio's sobs.

After a few minutes he calmed himself enough to continue, he looked directly at Soubi, "Why do you think I followed you around when I met you?" he asked, "Because I knew who you were, I wanted revenge, but then,…"he broke into sobs again, "then, I fell in love with _**you!**_" he screamed.

Soubi was shocked, but Ritsuka only had bitter understanding in his face.

"I feel in love with you and that made it worse, but after I realized how you were trained, and how Seimei treated you, I came to understand that you were not evil, I don't know if I'll ever forgive you when it comes to that, but seeing as I love you, I think it's safe to say that I did at least a bit"

Soubi was shocked at the confession, especially since it was made in front of Ritsuka, but a quick glance told him that Ritsuka was smiling, which confused him more.

"When you introduced me to Seimei, he immediately recognized me, and he found it incredibly funny that I would be in love with the killer of my lover and Seimei always enjoyed torturing me, that's why he did what he did to Soubi"

"My name is Loneliness, and the school doesn't know my birth name, that's why I've been able to escape them so far, and until now I'm surprised Seimei hasn't told them who I am"

"Don't worry about that" said Ritsuka, "what matter is now, you told us the truth, and you have nothing to be ashamed of"

Ritsuka took a deep breath, "Since you two apparently will be dancing around the subject for the rest of your lives, I'll go first"

This time their attention was directed towards Ritsuka, "I love Soubi very much," this prompted a smile from the fighter, "but I also love Kio" there were too identical gasps.

"I believe that one person can love two persons, unconditionally and with the same love" he looked at Soubi, "Soubi you have been in denial for too long, I'm not as oblivious as you believe, so can you just please admit that you love Kio as much as you love me?" he said exasperatedly.

Soubi was shocked, he sat there speechless then, "Yes" he whispered almost like it was a relief to admit and it probably was, "now I know you probably were worried about how I was going to react like, but like you can see I'm completely supportive, in fact I saw it before you did" said Ritsuka.

A snort came from Kio, "the brat's right, surprised me too, when he came out and said he was willing to share you, and that he was okay with it"

Soubi was even more surprised but then he smile and said, "Yes I love you both, and I don't think it is much of a problem, since Ritsuka loves Kio too" this time two heads turned towards Kio.

Kio looked at them and the smile, "Well this is a pleasant surprise, I love you too both"

"So do you think we can make this work?" asked Ritsuka

"We can" said Soubi

"Of course we can!"said a newly hyper Kio as he launched himself at Ritsuka pulling Soubi with him into the couch in the process.

"But what about Seimei" said Ritsuka, leave it to him to bring the dark side of things to light.

"We will deal with him later" said Soubi, "but know that I won't leave you never even if Seimei asks"

That promise comforted the other two, and suddenly it felt like those words were going to be the bringer of a new and happy future.

And if 2 years later the three of them woke up in pain, and realized that it was the pain of been carved the others name to each other, then it would only cement the trust and love they already had. They really hadn't needed that reassurance since the love and trust they had towards each other was enough, but now they knew that there was nothing no Seimei, no unknown fighter, that could separate them for they were forever each other.


End file.
